Quality of Life in Diabetic Foot Management
Summary
Diabetic foot complications exert a profound influence on patients’ physical, psychological and social well-being. Ulceration, infection and amputation interrupt mobility, impede daily activities and often precipitate anxiety, depression and social isolation. Moreover, the interplay between foot pathology and underlying comorbidities such as neuropathy, peripheral vascular disease and obesity further exacerbates perceived health status. Contemporary management emphasises not only wound healing and limb preservation but also holistic assessment of health-related quality of life (HRQoL), using standardised instruments to capture functional limitations, emotional distress and the economic burden of care. Preventive strategies, patient education and self-care support aim to mitigate ulcer risk, while multidisciplinary teams integrate vascular, podiatric, orthotic and psychosocial interventions. Emerging evidence highlights the need for culturally adapted patient-reported outcome measures and targeted rehabilitation programmes to enhance adherence, optimise foot self-care behaviours and ultimately improve overall quality of life.
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Quality of Life in Diabetic Foot Management publication trend
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Technical terms
Health utilities index (HUI): A numerical measure (0–1 scale) of overall health status derived from patient preferences for various health states.
Health-related quality of life (HRQoL): A multidimensional construct reflecting individuals’ perceived physical, mental and social well-being in relation to health conditions.
EQ-5D-5L instrument: A standardised questionnaire assessing five dimensions of health (mobility, self-care, usual activities, pain/discomfort, anxiety/depression) with five levels of severity.
Diabetic Foot Self-Care Questionnaire (DFSQ): A patient-reported outcome measure evaluating foot hygiene, inspection, footwear habits and preventive behaviours in diabetes care.
References
- The Impact of Underlying Conditions on Quality-of-Life Measurement Among Patients with Chronic Wounds, as Measured by Utility Values: A Review with an Additional Study. Advances in Wound Care (2023).
- Health-related quality of life in people with different diabetes-related foot ulcer health states: A cross-sectional study of healed, non-infected, infected, hospitalised and amputated ulcer states. Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice (2023).
- Validity and reliability of the English version of the Diabetic Foot Self-Care Questionnaire: a cross-cultural adaptation. Frontiers in Public Health (2024).
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